Egg-tray for incubators



S. J. CARR. EGG TRAY FOR INCUBATORS.

APPLICATION FILIED FEB. 5, 19 19. Patented Mar. 16,

3 SHEETS-SHEET l;

[zwerzor Sid: Carr S. J. CARR. EGG TRAY FOR INCUBATORS.

S. J. CARR.

v see my run mcuanoas. APPLICATION man FEB. 5'. 1919. 4 w 1,334,225, Patented Mal-.16, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL J. CARR, OF MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO CI-IAUNCEY 0. WAY, OF MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA.

EGG-TRAY FOR INCUBATORS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. CARR, citimen of the United States, residing at Muskogee, in the county of Muskogee and State of (.lklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg-Trays for In rubators, of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to an improved tray for incubators and has as its primary object to provide a construction wherein the egg capacity of an incubator of given size will be materially increased.

lhe invention has as a further object to provide a construction wherein the eggs may without removal from the incubator be turned by simply turning the egg containers employed, liability of cracking the eggs when turning, being thus reduced to a minimum.

The invention has-as a further object to provide an arrangement wherein the eggs may without removing the from the containers be readily tested so that liability of cracking or breaking of the eggs while being tested, will be reduced to a minimum.

And the invention has as a still furtlu-u." ob-- ject to provide a construction wherein the eggs will be firmly held within the container so that the eggs thus cannot pound against each other to cause the possible breakage thereof when the containers are manipu lated.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation .howing my improved egg tray in connection with a conventional type of incubator,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the container supporting rack of the tray in detail,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one of the containers in detail,

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary perspective view showing a slightly modified form of containe'r, 1

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the modified form of container on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary pers ective view showing a still. further lTlOdlGd form of container,

- Fig. 7 is a fragmentary persp t evle Specification of Letters Patent. Piltllted Mar. 16, 1920- Application filed February 5, 1919. Serial No. 275,179.

showing a further modified form of container, and 1 Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a still further modified form of container.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I have, in Fig. 1, conventionally shown an incubator at 10. My improved tray is, as shown in this figure, adapted to removably fit within the incubator. The tray includes a container rack 11, which, as shown in detail in Fig. 2,is in the nature of a rectangular frame having parallel side and end. bars respectively. Formed on the end bars at their upper edges arepair's of oppositely disposed notches which, for convenience, have been indicated at 12, 13, 1i and 15 respectively. The upper edges of the end bars are further provided with pairs of op positely disposed notches which, for con venience, have been indicated at 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 respectively.

In connection with the rack I employ a plurality of containers, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Referring now more particularly to this ure, it will be seen that each of said containers includes terminal, heads which are respectively formed of crossed bars 24 intersecting each other at substantially right angles, and. extending between the heads is a connecting rod 25 rigidly securing the heads together. This rod is provided at its ends with trunnions 26 extending beyond the crossed bars of the heads at their points of intersection laterally with respect to the heads. Supported by the container is a plurality of pairs of strips 27 and 28 respectively, extending in substantially parallel relation between corresponding outer ends of the crossed bars 24, and securing the strips at their ends to corresponding side edges of said crossed bars are bolts or other suitable fastening devices 29 carrying nuts 30. The strips 27 and 28 are channel shaped in cross section, being each preferably formed from a piece of suitable resilient sheet metal, and connected with each pair of said strips is a reticulate basketbody 31 preferably formed of screen wire and engaged at its edges in the channels of the side strips to be supported thereby between the crossed bars of the container heads.

As best shown in Fig. 5,

I the basket body is of approximately semicircular cross section, or perhaps, more properly, horse-shoe shape, being in efiect a trough whose mouth defined by the strips is narrower than its reticulate body. The latter is of a size to receive the major half of the average egg if stood on end, and the mouth is purposely contracted to retain the egg'in' the trough-like basket without need of a cover or other closure. In Fig. 3 it will be seen that the basket bodies are snugly received between said crossed bars so that these crossed bar's thus close the bodies at their ends while, at their bottoms, the basket bodies rest upon the connecting rod to be supported thereby. If desired, the basket bodies may be tacked or otherwise secured at their bottoms to the rod. Extending between and connecting the strips at the mouth of each basket, at a point substantially midway of the ends of the basket, is a tensioning spring 32 or, if desired, a cord or other suit able flexible element, as indicated at 33, may be employed for this purpose.

It is now to be observed that the rack 11 is of a size to receive four of the egg conta ners and these containers are removably fitted upon the rack so that the trunnions 26 there- 0 engage within the pairs of notches 12, 13, 1% and 15 respectively. The containers will thus be retained in spaced parallel relation upon the rack and, as will. be clear, may be readily rotated thereon. The'container baskets are, as particularly shown in Fig. 3, shaped to snugly receive eggs therein and the eggs are inserted in the baskets by sprea ing the side strips 27 and 28 thereof against the resilient action of the tensioning spring 32. However, if foundnecessary, the

nuts upon the bolts 29 may be loosened so that the strips may be spread at their ends away from the bars 24: in order to permit free insertion of the egtis into the baskets. When the baskets are. filled, the springs 32 will act to hold the pairs of side strips 27 and 28 fleiied inwardly toward each other and thus tension the basket bodies about the eggs and tend to close the mouth thereof so that the eg "s will thus be firmly held with respect to sac-1 other within the baskets and also against accidental displacement from the baskets. Since each of the containers is rovided with 'four of the egg baskets while our of the containers are accommodated u on therack 11, it will be seen that the tray isadaptedto carry an unusual quantity bf eggs. In fact, it has been demonstrated in practical use that the egg capacity of a improved tray, substantially he tray may, of course, as will 1 given incubator of conventional type, is, by

themes of in increased.

be apparent upon reference to Fig. 1, .be bod- 11y removed from the incubator, should it be des red to jremove the eggs therefrom. n so removed, the eggs within the egg baskets of the different containers may, since the basket bodies are reticulate, be readily tested with the aid of a suitable light by simply rotating the containers upon the rack so as to bring the eggs of each successive basket in proper position with respect to the light. Thus, possibility of breaking the eggs while testing them, is reduced to a minimum. Turning of the eggs may be accomplished by simply rotating the containers upon the rack 11 within the incubator. Thus, it is unnecessary to remove the tray in order to accomplish turning of the eg s and possibility of breaking the eggs, inci cut to turning them, is accordingly also reduced to a minimum.

' In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drmvings, I have shown a slight modified form of container. In this modification, the container heads are each formed by a single end bar 34 corresponding to the end bars 2% of the preferred construction. Joining these bars 3i is a connecting rod 35 corresponding to the rod and provided at its ends with trunnions 36 corresponding to the trunnions :20. Supported between corresponding ends of the bars 3+ are egg baskets each indicated as a whole at 37. those egg baskets being identical in construction with the egg baskets previously described. This modified construct-ion, therefore, provides a douhic basket container and when this type of container is employed the trunnions 36 of tho respective containers are engaged in the pairs o1. notches 1G, 17, 18, 15), 20, .21.. 22 and 23 upon the rack 11. The rack is thus adapted to carry a maximum of eight double basket containers. However, it will be observed that when the maximum number of containers is positioned upon the rack it will be necessary to remove the containers therefrom in order to accomplish the turning of the containers for turning the eggs held thereby.

In Fig. (i of the drawings J have illustrated a further modified form of container which, however, closely resembles the prior modified structure. As in the modification shown in Fig. 4, the container heads, in this latter modification, are each formed by a single end bar 37 and projecting from each of said bars is a trunnion 38 corresponding to the trunnions 36 of the prior modification and adapted to serve a similar function. The connecting rod between the container heads is eliminated. Extending between corresponding ends of the bars 37 and connecting said. bars are egg baskets each indicated as a whole at 39. These egg baskets are substantially identical with the baskets previously described with the sk ception that the egg baskets 39 are provided at their ends with end blocks 4.0 to which are secured the side strips of the baskets as well as the basket bodies, the connecting Ill! tlti

means between the side strips and the end blocks being identical with the means employed in the preferred construction for securing the side strips ol' the eggbaskets to the crossed bars of the container heads. Securing the end blocks an to the bars 37 are screws or other suitable fastening devices so that the baskets are thus .hrmly connected with said end bars.

In Fig. 7 of thedrawings l have shown a further modified tlorm oi egg container. In this modification, the heads of the eontainer are each formed by a disk 41-1 and projecting from each disk axially thereof is a trunnion &2, these trunnions corresponding to the trunnions previously described and being designed to serve a similar fui'iction. Extending between and ronnecting the disks of the container is plurality of 'adially disposed egg baskets each indicated as a whole at d3. These egg baskets are substantially identical with the egg baskets of the modification shown in Fig. 6, being provided with end blocks 4d corresponding to the end blocks i0 and secured to the disks by screws or other suitable fastening devices firmly connecting the baskets with the disks. This modified structure provides an arrangement whereby the egg capacity of the container is, as will be seen, materially increased.

In Fig. 8 oi the drawings I have shown a still further modified form of container, this modification constituting an individual basket container. The heads of the container are each formed by one. oil? the end blocks of the basket, the basket, indicated as a whole at 45, being substantially identical with the type of basket shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. Projecting from the end blocks axially of the basket body are trunnions 46 for supporting the container upon the rack 11.

simple type of single basket container.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An egg holder for use as described including a trough of reticulate material, its

body oi? a size to receive the major half of cm s are connected with the heads and whose edges are connected with the strips where by thelatter stand at opposite sides of the mouth of said trough, and means for drawing the strips toward. each other to contra ct said mouth.

4;. In an egg tray, the combination with a rack having bearings 111 its opposite rails;

of a container comprising two spaced heads, a rod rigidly connecting them and having trunnions mounted in said bearings, resilient strips connecting said heads and disposed in pairs remote from said rod, a flexible trough-like body whose edges are connected with the strips and whose ends are connected with the heads, the bottom of each body. engaging said rod, and a spring connecting the midlength of said strips for drawing them toward each other and contracting the width of the mouth of said trough-like body.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SAMUEL J. OAR-R. [1,. s]

As will be seen, this modified structure provides a very 

